The Windows team has published a new post on the Windows blog, detailing how developers can use the built-in Map APIs and Controls to build Universal Windows Apps.

The second post in a series about Map APIs and Controls, the post goes into using geolocation, geocoding, reverse geocoding route-finding, showing directions, offline maps, and using the Windows Map app launcher. The first three functions let you determine a coordinate of a location by longitude, latitude and altitude (‘geolocation’), retrieving the geolocation from a physical address, and a physical address from the geolocation. Armed with this knowledge, you can then find and show the routes between two points on a map, and even get turn-by-turn directions.

“To 13 Kensington Church Street, Watson’s residence please”.

One of the stand-out feature of the Windows Map application is the ability to download maps for offline use, previously mobile-only and coming to the desktop with Windows 10. These downloaded maps can also be used by UWA with mapping capabilities. If maps is not the app focus, the developer can instead bring up the Windows Map application with very simple commands.

Overall, the post showcases the power and flexibility of the Map APIs while giving useful information to UWA developers. Stay tuned for the next and final post in the series for information on how to add pins and external elements in maps specific to one’s needs.